Spikeball (which is actually the name of a company that specializes in production of equipment for the sport, which is known as roundnet) has continuously garnered popularity and renown since its inception in Chicago, Illinois in 2007. In spite of this, Oakdale High School has never had a Spikeball club―that is, until juniors Nick Rengen and Ryan Thompson proposed the idea to Ms. Katy Trice, who shortly thereafter agreed to be the club’s advisor.

When asked about what inspired him to co-found the club, Thompson noted that when he looked over the list of available clubs, he saw “mainly academic clubs, and wanted more fun clubs; I thought Spikeball club would be fun.”

Rengen added that Spikeball was a “unique” sport, and that there were “no other sports like it,” leading him to believe that it would be “a good idea” to start the club, since it added more diversity to Oakdale’s club and sport scenes.

He also commented on the nature of the Spikeball Club as a whole: “It’s not just Spikeball we’re going to be doing―it’s all backyard games. Spikeball is just the primary game we’re going to be playing.”

Despite the Spikeball Club being structured around backyard games―games that require open spaces―Trice has already developed a couple ideas of how the club will operate if weather conditions do not permit them to conduct the club outside: “We are hoping to find a spot inside to play or use my classroom as a place to watch videos for ways to improve our game.”

If the weather does allow for the club to meet outdoors, however, Trice explained that the club will “meet inside to gather everyone, and then head outside to play a couple games.”

Additionally, she elucidated her plans for when she intends for the club to meet: “Right now, the club is set up for students to get outside and have fun during SET.”

She went on to say, “In the future, we may add things after school or on weekends, but for now, the club just takes place during the school day.”

Trice later mentioned that, while she, Rengen, and Thompson did not yet have any activities explicitly planned out for the club (aside from playing Spikeball), she was “excited to have some fun” with the club.

Rengen and Thompson concurred over the fact that they hope to use the Spikeball Club as an opportunity to meet new people, with Rengen saying that he was looking forward to “meeting new kids that [he] usually [doesn’t] talk to during school,” and Thompson speaking to how he anticipated having “fun with [his] peers.”